Star Wars Renegades

Zorba's Assault

Seeking to get off of Alsapin as soon as possible, Asher contacted Jazzon to see if the Devaronian information broker knew of someone who could aid them. Jazzon suggested Bo Tran, a human smuggler. The PCs met Tran in a cantina to work out the deal. After paying a not insignificant sum, of credits to the smuggler, Tran agreed to take the PCs off Alsapin and to the rendezvous point with Scrubb and the Redemption.

After the PCs were transferred to the Redemption, Tran said he was sorry and shot off into hyperspace. Soon after, two of Zorba the Hutt’s frigates – one with Zorba himself present! – and several fighters descended on the PCs – Tran had betrayed them! Scrubb, assisted by IG-72B, initiated defensive maneuvers while making the hyperspace calculations. Bel and Xarsis took up positions as gunners while Asher andCPX-4 worked on the damage control.

A pitched ship battle ensued. Asher charged up the Redemption’s ion cannon and Scrubb fired it at Zorba’s frigate, temporarily disabling it. To gain cover against the other frigate, Xarsis suggested that the Redemption speed into the Alsapin system asteroid belt. Zorba’s fighters followed the PCs in. Bel shot at an asteroid, disintegrating it and sending a cloud of dust and rocks into the path of the oncoming fighters – two of them met their doom. For several minutes, the Redemption evaded and whittled down its pursuers. The powerful cannons of the fully operational frigate tried taking shots at the Redemption but interposing asteroids blocked the shots.

The Redemption’s ion cannon fired again, this time at the operational frigate. Disabled, the frigate was now an easy target – the Redemption came roaring out from behind an asteroid and rocketed past the vessel. Bel and Xarsis made brutally effective shots, damaging the frigate and knocking it out of commission for the duration of the battle.

Sensing the PCs had the upperhand, Bel radioed Zorba’s ship and demanded that the Hutt withdraw, never to bother Redemption’s crew again. Bitter and angry, Zorba nevertheless agreed, withdrawing his ship from the fray.

The PCs had won! And the spoils of war were a Correllian frigate. With a skeleton crew loaned from the Rebels at Delta Base, the PCs returned to the Suolriep system free of Zorba’s wrath.

The PCs whittled down the fighters to a point where they felt comfortable engaging one of the frigates.

Casino Royale

After suffering a series of setbacks to their goal of getting the Diadem of the Zeltu back from Zorba the Hutt, the PCs got a lead from Asher’s contact Jazzon. The Devaronian met the PCs at a cantina on Topa saying that Zorba was going to sell the Diadem off at an auction on Alsapin, home of a popular casino run by the Kassandre family.

During the conversation, IG-72B thought it detected a figure leaving the cantina that resembled an IG series droid. Following the individual, IG-72B was assaulted by someone attacking with an ionic weapon and rendered non-operational.

Hearing the commotion, Bel raced outside to assist his incapacitated shipmate. IG-72B’s assailants piloted a speeder truck with the assassin droid securely inside, so Bel found a speeder of his own and pursued. After failing to knock the speeder truck off the road, Bel blasted one of its thrusters and sent the truck careening.

Emerging from the truck was another IG unit! The IG unit battled Bel and managed to escape with IG-72B. With regret, Bel had to give up the chase in order to pursue the Diadem.

The PCs took the Redemption to Alsapin, where they discovered that the primary bidders for the Diadem were a Cerean named Fa-To-Na, an enigmatic human named Vostok, Ithorian crimeboss Rolorn Domma and Dassid Likandros, Asher’s brash older brother! Making matters worse, Zorba was present, and he contracted the Death Watch mercs – lead by veteran warrior Isabet Reau – to guard the Diadem.

Meanwhile, IG-72B reactivated on an unfamiliar ship, the IG-2000. The ship was piloted by two IG series droids – the deadly bounty hunters IG-88C and IG-88D! The 88’s said they were headed to Alsapin in order recover the Diadem for their undisclosed employer. They tried to convince IG-72B to forsake its organic companions and join their crew. Lying, IG-72B agreed and offered to assist the 88’s with capturing the Diadem.

The PCs at the auction were able to manipulate events in order to increase the likelihood of winning the auction. Knowing of Domma’s Twi’lek predilection, they enlisted two Twi’lek dancers to lure Domma to a room. There, the PCs promptly incapacitated him. They entered as an anonymous bidder using accounts set up by Asher. Bel leaned on some bidders, getting them to leave the auction. Asher’s arrogant older brother Dassid was nonplussed after being compared to his supposedly less successful younger brother. Eventually the PCs managed to win the auction.

But as the auction was playing out, the IG units infiltrated the casino and stole into the ship containing the Diadem. They were encountered by a squad of elite Deathwatch mercs lead by Reau, and a pitched battle ensued. During the battle, IG-72B secured the Diadem and fled the scene.

As soon as Bel saw IG-72B’s presence, he ordered Scrubb to take the Redemption off Alsapin. Bel, Xarsis, and Asher then laid low, avoiding casino guards and seeking a way off planet.

Professor Doon stopped by to check on Xarsis’s progress. Before taking his leave, Doon suggested that the Diadem was a dead end and wouldn’t lead to any new knowledge. This surprised Xarsis, who always knew Doon to be eager to learn about lost civilizations and cultures.

As the group worked some more, they followed the histories, legends, and myths of several Outer Rim cultures through time, seeking to find the source of the Zeltu stories. Their research lead them to pre-Republic times, but, inexplicably, the trail of information stopped – someone had deleted files pertaining to the Zeltu!

IG said it could hack the system to see who might have deleted the files and restore them (at least in part). This took a better part of the night. While IG worked, Xarsis meditated on the Force to enhance his wariness. Meanwhile, Vengeance pensively gazed out the window to his room, reflecting on the destruction of Alderaan and his conversation with Danar Alde before going on the mission. Alde was fearful of the Diadem falling into the wrong hands and was eager to know why the PCs former employer, Zorba the Hutt, wanted it.

Just after midnight, IG completed its work. The files were deleted by none other than Professor Doon! In addition, the files pointed to a hidden chamber deep in the bowels of the Archives that contained more information about the Zeltu. The PCs immediately left to find the chamber – IG and Xarsis using their dexterity and acrobatic skill to crawl, tumble, and flip through the rafters in order to avoid detection. Meanwhile, Vengeance strode imperiously through the winding corridors – when confronted by a patrol of two sentries, the former Shadowguard loomed menacing at them and they quickly allowed him to pass.

The entrance to the chamber was a well-hidden door. Opening the door, the PCs were confronted with a rush of stale air – the corridor beyond had not been traversed in some time. Walking further, the group came to a large, circular room. Frescoes and mosaics on the walls detailed the history of a mysterious, pre-Republic species, their rise to a spacefaring civilization, their encounter with a “star of darkness” or black hole, their subsequent domination of the galaxy, and then their sudden disappearance after meeting another powerful space-faring species.

Also in the room was a large, ancient, humanoid statue in a crouched position. Five gems glittered on its brow, immediately drawing IG’s attention. Something about the assassin droid’s prodding activated the statue – it stood up, towering 12 feet in height. Committed to getting the gems, IG held on to the head of the statue as it rose.

The statue immediately attacked, swatting at IG with one mighty arm while smashing Xarsis with the other. IG acrobatically flipped up into standing-position on the statue’s head while Xarsis and Vengeance counterattacked with their light saber weapons.

Large and solidly built, the statue was difficult to damage. For a few exchanges, the PCs struggled to land a solid hit while the statue’s powerful attacks wore them down. In desperation, Xarsis recalled any information he could about similar guardian constructs while IG’s acrobatics distracted the belligerent automaton. With these advantages, Vengeance was able to pierce the statue at a weak point with his light saber pike and destory it.

Behind where the statue was sitting was a passageway. Following it, the PCs entered another chamber. A holographic message played, showing an individual from some unidentified humanoid species where the Diadem of the Zeltu. Narration was provided in some unknown language, but the PCs saw that the Diadem-wearer was on a long, roughly cylindrical ship orbiting a planet. The bow of the ship formed a concave depression, like a radar dish, but it crackled some dark energy – the Dark Side of the Force! When the Diadem-wearer lowered its hand, the energy shot forth from the ship and struck the planet, destroying it instantly.

After the message had played, Vengeance heard footsteps enter the room – his barely contained rage bubbled forth, and he reflexively lashed out with his light saber pike and struck the intruder. Impaled upon the beam was Professor Doon! As he lay dying in Xarsis’s arms, the Kel Dorian professor uttered “Beware the Diadem!” before breathing his last.

Taking the fallen professor’s body out and walking back to the main promenade, the PCs encountered a guard patrol. Xarsis was able to convince the patrol that Doon was attacked some some mystery assailant. The patrol took the Kel Dorian’s body while the PCs quickly made their way to his home to search for clues. Once there, Xarsis found a datapad showing that Doon was communicating with some unknown associates. Only Doon’s outgoing messages could be read, but they indicated the professor knew of the Diadem and sought to stymie the efforts of the PCs to learn more of it.

Included amongst Professor Doon’s effects were several passages from some ancient scholar of the Zeltu. One of the passages was a chilling prophecy – “In a time of great upheaval, when millions of voices suddenly cry out in terror and are suddenly silenced, the Zeltu shall awaken and rule the Galaxy again.”

It was now morning and Soraya’s was due at any moment. The PCs found a mainframe access point and IG deleted all the video and other information that might incriminate them in Doon’s death. As they left, they walked into a patrol of Stormtroopers lead by Soraya! A battle ensued – IG and Vengeance battled the troopers while Xarsis and Soraya dueled. Although the PCs were victorious, Soraya escaped the field of battle to fight another day.

The PCs left Obroa-Skai and made their way back to Delta Base. Xarsis decided to leave the Holocron of Obroa-Skai behind, fearful that it may have been used to track him.

Slavelords of Zeptilon 3

Bel, Asher, Scrubb, and two Rebel commandos took the Redemption to Zeptilon 3, home of the seemingly corrupt Moff Varkusk. Landing at the space port, they learned that the Trandoshan slaver Rutosk is often seen transporting individuals off planet.

In particular, one of the spaceport workers noticed that, several weeks ago, Rutosk’s forces had a human girl in their possession. Unlike other potential slaves, she was taken some where to the spaceport’s unsavory Manufacturing District. Asher had CPX-4 do some more research into this and the droid discovered that Varkusk had a daughter who had gone missing several weeks ago. The PCs immediately suspected that Rutosk had the Moff’s daughter kidnapped, giving the vile slaver free reign to ply his odious trade in the Zeptilon system.

Doing some more investigation, the PCs learned that one of Rutosk’s favorite haunts while on planet was a cantina on the outskirts of the Manufacturing District called the Steel Mynock. The PCs arrived, only to be confronted by some of Rutosk’s thugs. Despite his best efforts, Scrubb was recognized and captured by the thugs. Wrestling the ace pilot into submission, they dragged him to Rutosk’s hideout in the many abandoned warehouses of the Manufacturing District. With the aid of a camera droid cobbled together from spare parts, Asher, Bel, and the Rebel commandos surreptitiously followed Rutosk’s thugs.

The thugs placed Scrubb in a cell with Varkusk’s daughter, Esmerelda. Scrubb informed Varkusk’s daughter that the PCs were coming to save her. In response, Esmerelda cheered loudly with joy, alerting Rutosk and his thugs. Bel and the Rebel commandos provided cover fire while Asher freed Scrubb and Esmerelda.

Chased through the winding streets of the Manufacturing District, the PCs made it to the Redemption’s hangar. They were met by some of Rutosk’s slavers – two had taken position behind some crates in front of the Redemption’s access ramp while two more were up on balconies overhead. Rutosk and three thugs arrived on the street outside the hangar, surrounding the PCs.

Asher went to deal with the thugs behind the crates while Bel fought Rutosk. Asher incapacitated one thug with his trusty hydrospanner and Bel’s Corellian power armor protected him from the worst of his Trandoshan enemy’s blasters. The Rebel commandos accompanying the PCs fell to blaster bolts of the slavers.

As the battle raged on the hangar bay floor, Scrubb climbed up the balcony to take out one of the shooters up there. The shooter on the other balcony hit Scrubb with a well placed shot, causing lingering blaster burns. Asher ordered CPX-4 to activate the Redemption’s guns and fire at Rutosk’s men. CPX-4 did so, but aimed poorly, missing Rutosk and hitting a fuel line. A massive explosion rocked the hangar, knocking Rutosk and Bel to the ground.

Asher incapacitated the other thug behind the crates and made his way on the ship, Scrubb following suit.. Struggling to his feet, Bel quickly joined his companions. Safe within the Redemption, Scrubb contacted Moff Varkusk and informed him that his daughter was safe. Imperial forces soon moved in to clean out the slavers, but Rutosk had already gone off world.

Returning to Zorba the Hutt with the Diadem, Bel demanded that the PCs be freed from Zorba’s employ. Further, Bel insisted that all traces of the PCs on Zorba’s systems be purged – the Hutt was to have nothing that could be handed to the Empire. To do this, the PCs proposed that CPX-4 be granted access to Zorba’s systems, delete information specific to the PCs, and then be memory-wiped so as to not retain any information that could potentially harm Zorba. After some negotiation, Zorba agreed. When CPX-4 returned, things had apparently gone to plan.

However, as the PCs were about to disembark Nar Shaddaa, they were contacted by an enraged Zorba. Claiming that the PCs installed a virus onto his systems, the Hutt sent his forces to stop the PCs from leaving the Smuggler’s Moon. The Redemption crew easily handled the hastily scrambled fighters sent to pursue them and made the jump to hyperspace.

With the only sanctuary being Delta Base, the PCs made their way back to the Rebel stronghold. Upon docking, Bel was approached by General Oktra Balor’ma, commander of Delta Base, and told of a corrupt Imperial administrator, Moff Varkusk, who was in league with pirates and slavers. Feeling compelled to help reform the Empire, Bel agreed to confront Varkusk.

While doing diagnostics on his droid, Asher discovered that someone tampered with CPX-4 just before the droid interfaced with Zorba’s systems. It appears the PCs were framed!

Meanwhile, Alde approached Xarsis and asked him about the Diadem of the Xeltu. He recommended that Xarsis return to the Obroan Institute on the library world of Obroa-skai to access the archives there. Alde offered his personal ship for the journey, and, along with IG and Vengeance, Xarsis took the ship to his former home.

Upon reaching Obroa-skai, Xarsis, IG, and Vengeance met with one of Xarsis’s old profressors, a Qual Doon. To their surprise, Qual Doon informed them that Soraya Das would be showing up tomorrow.

While Xarsis, IG, and Vengeance await Soraya, Bel, Asher, and Scrubb took the Redemption to confront the corrupt moff.

Escape from Formos

The Redemption blasted off from its hangar at the Formos starport and into space, its precious cargo – the Diadem of the Zeltu – safely in its hold. Shortly thereafter, three TIE fighters (one of them piloted by Soraya Das) rocketed off in pursuit. From above, five TIE fighters scrambled from the Star Destroyer orbiting the planet to intercept the PCs.

While Scrubb deftly piloted the ship with IG as co-pilot, Bel and Xarsis operated the Redemption’s two quad turbolaser cannons. As Asher went to the engine room to enhance ship speed and performance, he directed CPX-4 to assist the nav computer in making the calculations for the jump to hyperspace.

Scrubb gained an early advantage, performing a daring maneuver to slice through the oncoming formation of fighters. Momentarily out of formation and in disarray, the TIEs regrouped. Bel and Xarsis fired the cannons – Xarsis attacking Soraya’s fighter, attempting – and succeeding – at disabling her vessel temporarily. Asher provided a momentary boost to engine efficiency while IG plotted a course vector to fake out their pursuers. Out of position and without Soraya, the TIE counterattacks against the Redemption did no significant damage.

Soraya rerouted power and re-engaged in the battle. Against a more coordinated assault, Scrubb could not hold the advantage. But, with Asher’s boost to engine efficiency and IG’s fake-out course, the expert pilot managed to avoid the worst of the TIE assault. Bel responded by targeting Soraya’s fighter with an intent to kill but only singed the Dark Side adept’s ship. Nevertheless, Xarsis was able to use this opportunity to more severely disable Soraya’s fighter.

While Scrubb was avoiding the TIE attacks, Asher was able to use some of the parts obtained at the Formos Starport to jury-rig modifications and make the Redemption run like new! At least for the duration of the battle … As Asher finished, he heard a thud and loud groan of pain from one of the holds. Notifying the Redemption crew, IG came down to investigate. Opening the hold door, IG was greeted by the business end of a lightsaber pike. Parrying the attack with its Darksaber, IG saw that its attacker was garbed in a suit of black armor. Asher recognized the armor immediately as the hallmark of the Imperial Shadow Guard!

Scrubb executed a series of brilliant maneuvers to gain a tremendous advantage over the TIEs. Bel and Xarsis then fired into their outmatched enemies, with devastating effect. Meanwhile, in the lower deck, the grim Shadow Guard and IG dueled. The Guard thrusted forward, singing IG’s arm. The droid attempted to intimidate the black-suited warrior into submission with a fearsome display of swordsmanship, but its assailant wasn’t cowed. The TIEs roared around the Redemption, unable to land a solid hit.

Notifying his allies to hold tight, Scrubb performed a dangerous barrel roll maneuver to knock the Shadow Guard off his feet. Utilizing his Force training and formidable strength, the Guard was merely put off balance. But, realizing he was out of position, the Shadow Guard deactivated his pike and lowered it in surrender. Stepping from the hold was a man dressed in a white Imperial uniform – the uniform of Imperial Intelligence, Asher recognized – and a middle-aged man, regal despite nursing a head injury. This was Soraya’s high value prisoner, the Rebel official Danar Alde! Introducing himself as Elric Track and seeming to know the PCs’ real names, the intelligence officer offered to explain their presence later and assist CPX-4’s calculations.

Impressed by Asher’s engine modifications, Scrubb held on to the advantage over the TIEs. Bel and Xarsis continued firing into the TIEs, while IG went back to the pilot seat. Using the slicing skills it acquired from its time as a smuggler, IG overclocked key Redemption processors to improve the ship’s handling. Scrubb utilized these enhancements to dodge the latest volley of the TIE fighters. Then CPX-4 excitedly pronounced it completed the calculations for the jump to hyperspace. Asher activated the hyperdrive and left the TIEs far behind.

After things settled down, the PCs confronted their stowaways. Trask explained that he was a double-agent, still officially in the Empire but swearing allegiance to the Rebel Alliance. For some time, he and his agents had been following the PCs, assessing their potential as recruits. The silent Shadow Guard – who Trask called Vengeance – forsook his oaths to the Emperor after the destruction of Alderaan. Vengeance was assigned to guard Alde’s transport to the Star Destroyer orbiting Formos, but Trask and Vengeance plotted to free Alde before the transfer was complete. The PCs infiltration of the Formos Starport was a welcome diversion for Trask, Vengence, and Alde to steal onto the Redemption.

Very thankful for the PCs help, Alde promised the gratitude of the Rebel Alliance and suitable payment for their rescue. When the PCs hesitated to accept the offer, Trask offered to use his influence and insure the PCs’ remain unknown to the Empire. Accepting this offer, the PCs set course for the Delta Base, somewhere in the Suolriep sector.

EPILOGUE

En route to Delta Base, Xarsis had dark, fitful dreams. Waking with a start, he felt drawn to the hold containing the Diadem. There, staring into the dark green gem set into the glittering crown, Xarsis beheld a vision where he possessed the strength to protect the weak and innocent across the Galaxy. Crushing the Empire with an unparalleled mastery of the Force, Xarsis assumed the Emperor’s throne and spread his benevolent rule.

Asher, too, felt the pull of the Diadem. Walking into the hold, he saw himself on the bridge of a flagship for an awesome merchant fleet. Powered by revolutionary advances in robotics and droid technology, Asher’s Galaxy-spanning mercantile empire far exceeded that of his family.

Finally, Vengeance responded to the call of the Diadem. Seeing himself at the head of vast armies, the Shadow Guard overthrew the Empire and exulted in the flames of its destruction. Alderaan was avenged!

The three stared at the Diadem until the spell was broken by CPX-4, who, excusing itself profusely and awkwardly, informed Asher of their arrival at Delta Base.

To Formos

With assistance from Asher, Xarsis sifted through the data obtained from Rolorn Domma’s compound and learned the name of the Imperial freighter containing the Diadem of the Zeltu. In addition, Xarsis found that the mysterious Mandalorian warrior was one Isabet Reau, a fanatical member of the Deathwatch.

To locate the Imperial Freighter, Asher contacted his associate Jazzon. The sly Devaronian found that the ship was currently docked at Formos, in the Kessel Sector . Bel suggested that the group infiltrate the compound by pretending to be Imperials. Once inside, the PCs could alter the orders for the Diadem, transferring it to the Redemption. To get in, they would need uniforms – accessing its underworld connections, IG asked one Tekka to procure the uniforms for the PCs. Tekka did so, but not before securing a favor from the assassin droid.

Arriving at Formos, the Redemption crew noticed the presence of an Imperial Star Destroyer in orbit but landed with no particular trouble. However, an Imperial inspection team scouring the ship observed the vessel’s many hardware incompatibilities and non-standard modifications. The inspection team felt compelled to report this to their superiors, but Scrubb enticed them with a few bottles of Corellian brandy. The PCs were then able to convince the inspectors to look the other way.

Asher suggested that they take this opportunity to pick up some military-grade replacement parts for the Redemption. He and Scrubb went to the engineering facility while Bel, IG, Xarsis, and CPX-4 went off to find a station at which they could change the orders. While waiting or CPX-4 to slice into the outpost’s computer, Xarsis felt a familiar presence and left the others to seek it out.

CPX-4 successfully altered the orders and transferred the Diadem of the Zeltu to the Redemption. The task was made more difficult due to other activity in the system – it turns out that Lord Danar Alde, an influential Alderaanian noble suspected to have ties with the Rebellion, was in custody.

Scrubb and Asher finished procuring parts and were on their way back to the redemption. However, they were noticed by one of Scrubb’s many burned acquaintances, a Trandoshan slaver named Rotusk. Although the Trandoshan tried to alert the Imperials to the intruders’ presence, the Imperials gave him no mind.

Xarsis followed the presence to another control center where he overheard Soraya Das – a fellow Obroan Institute graduate and now Dark Side Adept – conversing with Darth Vader via Holonet. Once she was aware of Xarsis’s presence, a lightsaber duel ensued. Unwilling to harm Soraya, Xarsis momentarily overloaded her cybernetic implants and fled the battle.

The PCs rushed back to the Redemption, the base now alerted to their presence.

Battle at Domma's Compound

The security alarm blaring, Asher and IG easily subdue Rolorn Domma and obtain access to Domma’s files. They learn that Imperials have seized the ship containing the Diadem of the Zeltu. For good measure, Asher transfers Domma’s ill-gotten fortune into his own accounts.

While standing watch over Asher, IG encounters a female in Mandalorian armor. Immediately recognizing the Darksaber in its metallic hands, she attacks IG. She proves to be a fierce combatant, able to hold her own against the deadly assassin droid.

Xarsis dispatches several mercs with his Sith lightsaber as he makes his way into the control room of one of the compound’s two turbolaser towers.

From his perch atop the compound’s primary building, Bel coordinates the attack and dispatches several mercs. His battleworn Correlian power armor saves him from a several nasty shots. He manages to shoot the controls to the doors of the compound’s hangar, preventing the doors from opening fully and the assault fighters within from launching.

Scrubb deftly pilots the Redemption so as to avoid the worst blasts of the turbolasers. After a pitched battle with some mercs, Xarsis disables one turbolaser by destroying its control panel. Asher slices into the compound’s defense systems to disable the other turbolaser, allowing Scrubb to land the Redemption inside the compound. Everyone gets onto the ship.

Blasting off, the Redemption avoids the blasts of the reactivated turbolasers. Chased by the freed assault craft – one of which being piloted by the mysterious Mandalorian warrior – the PCs evade their pursuers. Leaving Topa’s atmosphere, the Redemption makes the jump to hyperspace.

Infiltrating Domma's Compound

After consulting Asher’s contact Jazzon on Nar Shadda, the PCs learned that Domma’s last known whereabouts were on Topa, a planet in the Sespe system. Before they left, Xarsis noticed a shady figure watching them.

Arriving at Topa, the PCs learn that Domma had a run-in with Imperials and retreated to his compound, fortifying it with extra merc guards. Xarsis had a memorable card game, leading to a fight at a cantina.

The PCs infiltrated the compound. Bel was positioned in a sniper perch while Asher, IG, and Xarsis sneaked into the primary building. To avoid detection, IG pushed Xarsis into the path of some oncoming sentries, but Xarsis was able to remain hidden. IG and Asher found Domma in his room, enjoying … risqué holovids of twi’lek dancers.

The extraction was undetected and going smoothly until IG noticed one of Domma’s many art objects. Unable to resist its kleptomaniac impulses, IG took one of the pieces, setting off the compound’s security alarm …